Hen s nest



Nests & nest appliances,

Trap nests, Fowl, Fowl relelased.

(No Model.)

J. H. MANLOVE.

HEN'S NBST.

No. 436,249. Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

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JOHN H. MANLOVE, OF COOPER, TEXAS.

H ENs N EST.

SIZECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,249, dated September 9, 1890. Application tiled April 25, 1890. Serial No. 349,531. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: A

Be 1t known that I, JOHN H. MANLOVE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Cooper,

' in the county of Delta and State of Texas,

- the eggs are isolated and in a measure hid and protected while the hen is seeking food.

n 'l he invention consists, essen tially, in a boxlike structure having a vertical partition-wall and lateral doorway at the rear, a tilting platform arranged in the passage formed at one side-of the partition-wall, and a hen setting or hatching drawer or other chamber at the opposite side of the partition-wall, the con struction being such that the fowl in passing to the drawer or chamber overbalances the rear end of the platform, and thereby causes the front end thereof to obstruct or close the entrance, while the fowl can pass laterally through the rear doorway to the eggs in the Setting-chamber, and thus be shielded or protected against intrusion and annoyance from other fowls, which is a source of so many objections.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view looking at the front of the nest. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, omitting the roof or top wall of the structure. view taken centrall y through the passage containing the tilting platform and looking toward the lateral doorway.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to the 5o drawings, wherein- Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional u re, which is preferably mounted on legs 2 to elevate it above the ground or floor, and 3 indicates a vertical partition-wall extending from the front to near the back wall, where a lateral doorway is provided. The partitionwall divides the structure into a straight passage' at one side and a setting or hatching chamber 5 at the'opposite side,which communicates at the rear with the passage by the lat-eral doorway. The setting-chamber contains a setting-drawer or egg-holder 6,p1o'

and therefore the hen can step through the doorway directly into the drawer containing the nest proper.

The straight passage at one side of the partition-wall is provided near its rear end with.

a baror pivot support 10, having an upwardprojecting flange or shoulder 12, and the tilting platform 13 is provided near its rear end with a pendent rib or pivot-plate 14, which rests on the bar or pivot support 10 and bears against the rear side of the flange or shoulder 12. The platform comprises a rectangular hoard of a length and width approximately coextensive with the length and width of the passage, and such platform is adapted to oscillate on its rib or pivot-plate as a center, so that when the rear end is lowered the front end is raised and bears againsta stop, which,

as here shown, is composed of a bottom strip of a slatted front 15. The rear end of the platform is provided on its under side witha counter-weight 1G, preferably constructed to balance the platform when in a horizontal plane in such manner that a preponderance of weight in front or 'rearof the pivotal point of the platform will tilt the latter to its opened or closed position. If the front end of the platform is lowered and the entrance thereby opened, the hen can pass up the inclined platform, and immediately the preponderance of weight falls behind the pivotal point the .platform tilts and its front rises and obstructs or closes the entrance to the nest, while the fowl can step laterally through the IOO passing up theplatform, when the preponderance of weight will lower the front end of the platform and raise the rear end.

To secure the desired range of movement of the front end of the platform to open and close the entrance without producing an undue inclined plane for the travel of the fowl,

I arrange the pivotal point of' the platform between the rear extremity thereof and the center of its length, and v,fix the counterweight stationary on the under side of the platform back of the pivotal point of the latter. By this construction and arrangement a wide range of movement is imparted to the front end portion of the platform by a comparatively small ,movement of the weighted rear end thereof, and hence the angle of inclination of the platform is reduced, which is an advantage. The passage containing the platform is extended outward beyond the slatted front 17 of the setting-chamber, and the partition-wall, by dividing the passage from the said chamber, in a measure serves to isolate the nest proper. Inasmuch as the setting-drawer can be readily slid into and out of place, it can be preserved in a cleanly condition, while convenient access to the nest proper is provided. By extending the walls of the passage forward of the setting-chamber and projecting the roof or top wall to the front edge of such 4extension the slatted front of the setting-chamber is shielded from the.

weather.

A series of portable nest structures made as described maybe placed in dierent places about the inside or outside of a barn or poultry-house, or they can be placed side by side in a row or one row above another, and their construction issuch that setting hens will not be interfered with by other fowls, thus eifecting a saving of eggs and an increased production of young, for where other fowls have access to the setting-boxes of hens many eggs are broken or spoiled, while hens lay to setting hens, which is a serious objection. The

structure is also such that the eggs are protected in alarge measure fromtledepredations of animals, such as rats, -minks, weas'els. s

In the construction shown the platform can be loosely set in the box structure without pivot-pins arranged in j ournal-bearings, while longitudinal displacement is prevented by the flange or projection in front of the rib or pivotplate and the rear wall of the structure.

Having thus described my invention, what 1. A hen-nest consisting of a box structure, a passage, and a setting-chamber divided by a Vertical partition-wall provided at the rear with a lateral doorway, which places the passage in communication with the setting-chamber, and an oscillating platform located in the passage and tilted by the hen to close and open the entrance, substantially as described.

2. A hen-nest consisting of a box structure having a passage `and a setting-chamber divided by a vertical partition-wall provided at the rear with a lateral doorway, which places the passage in communication with the setting-cham ber, and an oscillatin g platform pivoted at a point between its rear end and the center of its length and provided with a Vcounter-weight iixed stationary to A its inner end, substantially as described.

3. A hen=nest consisting of a box structure having a passage and setting-chamber separated by avertical partition-wall, provided at its rear with a lateral doorway, which places the passage in communication with the set,

ting-chamber, a sliding removable drawer arranged in the setting-chamber, and an oscillating platform in the passage, which serves to obstruct the entrance when the rearend of such platform is lowered, substantially as dcscribed.

In testimony whereof I have afxed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. MANLOVE. Witnesses:

E. M. MORRIS, MARK FOSTER. 

